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Willetta Merle Whomes
In Memory of
Willetta Merle
Whomes
1919 - 2018
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Obituary for Willetta Merle Whomes

Willetta Whomes was born March 15, 1919 to Loyd and Jewel Rinehart in Condon, OR. Her parents worked on a wheat ranch until her mother died of diphtheria in 1923 at age 26.This left Loyd to care for two young children, Willetta, four years old, and Jack, age two. It was a struggle, but with the help of his mother, they managed.
In 1923, Loyd remarried. His new wife was Catholic and shared her faith with Willetta, Willetta became a Catholic at 13 years of age, and embraced her faith the rest of her life. Willetta went away to Mt. Angel boarding School for her first two years of high school. She returned to Condon and graduated in 1937.
Willetta chose nursing as a career. She attended St. Joseph’s nurses training in Vancouver, WA. She graduated with a 3-year diploma degree in 1940. Her first nursing job was at St. Joseph’s. In December of 1940, someone came through the nurses’ station looking for someone to take a nursing job in Hawthorne, NV. Mom said, “Look no further, I’ll go”. And she did. She enjoyed Hawthorne. Then onto her next adventure in Santa Monica, CA. She got a job at St. John’s Hospital in the maternity ward. She lived in Santa Monica until 1943. Her adventures continued with three years of service to the war effort as a civilian nurse in Panama. Willetta returned to Hawthorne where she worked in a medical clinic. She met her future husband, Don Whomes there. They married in August of 1949. The doctors that ran the medical clinic opened Churchill Public Hospital in Fallon, NV in late 1949 and asked her to run it. At 30 years of age, Mom was an administrator of a hospital. Willetta and Don welcomed a son, Roger, in 1955 and a daughter Lisa in 1958. Willetta ran the hospital for 22 years. Our family then moved to Reno in 1971 where Willetta became the operating room supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital. She held that position from 1971 until 1979. Willetta ended her 43-year career with five years at Reno Convalescent Center on Mill Street. She retired on her 65th birthday. Willetta and Don enjoyed their retirement. They travelled a bit to the east coast and Hawaii, and Mom took a pilgrimage to Rome. They relished their grandchildren in Reno and their four grandchildren in the Bay area. Lisa and her family moved home to Reno in 2004 to have more time with her parents and support them in their later years. Their son, Roger, passed away in 2014. Willetta’s faith carried her during this difficult time.
Willetta was an amazing woman; kind, witty and warm. Mom and Dad enjoyed many friends and family visiting their home. Mom loved her 5 O’clock gimlet and encouraged everyone to come and share one with her!
Willetta willingly surrendered to God’s calling at the age of 99 and went to His welcoming arms on July 1st, 2018. She passed away in her home. May she rest in the shadow of God in heaven and find the peace and joy she so richly deserves.
Willetta is survived by her daughter, Lisa Merrill; son-in-law Mike; grandchildren; Megan, Matthew, John, Kathryn, Gregory and Jack. She was an adored aunt to many nieces and nephews.
A Rosary will be held for Willetta at St. Albert The Great Catholic Church at 6:00 pm on Thursday, July 26th, 2018. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Friday, July 27th at St. Albert’s Catholic Church. A reception will follow.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Donations can be made in Willetta’s name and sent to: NAMI, P. O. Box 49104, Baltimore, MD 21297. Please include Willetta’s name in the subject line of the check. The family invites you to leave a condolence message on the book of memories at: www.waltonsfuneralhomes.com.

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